Delegate

ARTICLES ABOUT DELEGATE BY DATE - PAGE 2

TAMPA, Fla - Sitting in the Players sports pub off the hotel lobby, Carol Sides, a Pennsylvania delegate from Williamsport, said some friends urged her to wait out the impending storm before traveling south for the Republican National Convention. Sides, a retired business owner and state party committee person for 12 years, didn't heed their advice. But she did take another friend's counsel, a Florida transplant, who shared expert tips on surviving a hurricane. "Different people were calling me and saying come home and go back Wednesday, it's not looking good," Sides said.

WASHINGTON - Among their Republican peers at the national convention this week, Pennsylvania GOP delegates will have their bragging rights. Their former U.S. senator, Rick Santorum, made a hard-fought run for the presidential nomination, emerged a rock star for conservatives and has a coveted prime-time speaking slot. Their current U.S. senator, Pat Toomey, made his mark as a freshman lawmaker leading the way on debt issues and was selected by his colleagues to serve on a deficit reduction supercommittee.

15 t h DISTRICT DELEGATES Patrick M. Browne , state senator Age: 48, of Allentown Was a delegate in 2008 Supported Rick Santorum in the primary "I'm anticipating the whole week, improving relationships with not only our active Republican delegates and volunteers, but also our candidates. " Robert E. Smith, Jr ., Allentown School Board president and activity coordinator at Mount Trexler Manor Age: 50, of Allentown First time as delegate; was an alternate in 2004 and 2008.

Rick Santorum, who made a hard fought run for the GOP nomination, released his 255 committed delegates to vote for Mitt Romney at the Republican National Convention next week. Santorum tweeted: Delegates: "I'm officially releasing you later today in formal ltr to unify for # Romney -Ryan at @ GopConvention . Thank you for your support" Before bowing out in April ahead of the Pennsylvania primary, Santorum often spoke of his desire for a contested convention, believing that the type of activist Republican that becomes a delegate would be swayed to choose the more conservative candidate.

By Colby Itkowitz and John L. Micek, Of The Morning Call | March 21, 2012

WASHINGTON — Even if Rick Santorum wallops Mitt Romney in Pennsylvania next month by winning every Republican vote on primary day, he's unlikely to gain the crucial support of all the delegates he could get. Late last year, as Romney's backers were assembling slates of delegates in Pennsylvania, Santorum was camped in Iowa, traveling the state in a pickup truck with a skeleton staff, no money and little more than a dream of becoming a viable Republican...

When did we move from a country of by and for the people to of by and for Barack Obama? During the recent, shameful political posturing over the debt and federal funding processes, we were constantly told Obama did or did not get what he wanted. Excuse me. When are we concerned more with what the president of the United States gets or doesn't get while we who must be satisfied with what he will allow the common persons to have? When did we delegate to our chief executive the power to decide when or if we get our Social Security checks on a timely basis or when or if those fighting for our freedom get paid on time?

HARRISBURG — Joe Mistick vividly recalls a federal prosecutor named Tom Corbett strolling, unannounced, into his office in Pittsburgh City Hall 20 years ago. Mistick was the chief of staff to Pittsburgh Mayor Sophie Masloff, and an unscheduled visit from a U.S. attorney historically had just one meaning: things were about to go very, very badly for someone. "My first reaction was, 'Oh boy, what are we looking at here? Who did what when?'" Mistick, now a professor at Duquesne University Law School, recalled last week.

The Concours d'Elegance of the Eastern United States, the high-end Lehigh Valley spring car show that for 20 years has raised money for the Allentown-based Burn Prevention Foundation, will not be held this year and will move to the Poconos for 2011, organizers say. Organizers say the move will let the Concours -- one of the premiere antique, classic and collector car events on the East Coast -- expand, improve and raise more money for the foundation....

On the same day President Barack Obama said he is suspending the transfer of Yemeni terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent announced he'll visit the internationally reviled prison camp to gather information on whether it should be closed. The Lehigh Valley Republican inserted himself in the debate over its closure last January, when Obama announced plans to release or transfer its detainees. Dent called the plan "ill-advised" and said then he was convinced that keeping the Cuba-based prison open was best for national security.